Dental instrument construction



951 A. BEIRYLIINER f 2,569,844

DENTAL INSTRUMENT CONSTRUCTION Filed July 28, 1948 INVENTOR QBRQHHM.BERILINER ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 2, 1951 DENTAL INSTRUMENT CONSTRUCTIONAbraham Berliner, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Gollobin Dental 00.,Inc., New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application July 28, 1948, Serial No. 41,032

6 Claims.

This invention relates to dental instrument constructions, and moreparticularly is directed to self limiting epithelial scalpels for use incutting or slicing definite thickness of gum tissue and removingepithelial attachment in periodontal surgical treatments.

Among the objects of the invention is to improve dental instrumentconstructions of the character described which shall be simple inconstruction, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture,which shall not require extraordinary digital skill or adequateinstrumentation, which shall provid improved means for the generalpractitioner to give said surgical periodontal treatment equal tospecialists, which shall eliminate lacerations and shredding of the softgum tissues of the region under treatment, which shall be shaped andconstructed to preclude possible complete incision of the soft Wall of apocket under treatment which shall be self limiting in cutting orslicing predetermined thickness of tissue and permit removal ofepithelial attachment at the apical area of a pocket expeditiously withgreat ease and under maximum control to provide an environment mostconducive to functional repair, and which shall be eflicient andpractical to a high degree in use.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out. The

invention accordingly consists of features of construction, combinationsof elements, arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in theconstruction hereinafter described and of which the scope of theapplication will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing in which is shown one possible illustrativeembodiment of this invention.

Fig. l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a guru region showingtooth, undergoing periodontal treatment with a portion of a scalpelconstructed. to embody the invention in effective position for slicing apredetermined thickness of the gum tissue of a pocket.

Fig. 2 is a cross section view taken on lines 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of a complete instrument constructedto embody the invention, portions of which are shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view as seen from line 44 in Fig. 3,showing a front side of the cutting blade and guards therefor.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the blade and guards ofthe instrument shown in Fi 4.

Figs. 6 and 7 are detailed cross sectional views taken on lines 6-6 andl1, respectively, in Fig.

4, and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing in detail the blade andguard end of the improved instrument shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7.

It has been found in that branch of the practice of dentistry, known asperiodontology, that one of the primary local aggravating factorsconducive to periodontal disease is the accumulation of subgingivaldebris and deposits of foreign mat-- ter on and around the neck of thecrown and roots of teeth. Such accumulation manifests its presence bydegeneration of the normal epithelial tissue and the formation of apathological periodontal pocket which generally require surgicaltreatment.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 2 tooth structure T represents one example of atypical tooth formation shown undergoing periodontal treatment, havingan exposed cap top portion or crown C, a neck portion N extending aboutthe tooth T just below the crown C in the region of the gum or gingivalline L-L, and a root R of tooth T which extends, down from said neckportion N in through the gum or gingiva G to terminate in apex A at thelower end of the tooth T. In an aggravated case there may be found apathological periodontal pocket P formed in the subgingival region alongthe tooth root surface R.

As seen from the drawing, 20 denotes a dental instrument constructed toembody the invention for use in removing by cutting a definite thicknessof degenerated epithelial tissue found lining said pocket P and removingthe epithelial attachment at the apical area of pocket P to provide anenvironment most conducive to functional repair and return thesurrounding tissues into a healthy normal state free from pockets P.

Said instrument or scalpel 20 may be made in the conventional manner asa single steel structure, or as here shown, may comprise an elongatedhandle 2| made of any suitable material, such as plastic, monel metal,stainless steel, brass or steel, polished or chrome plated, having anend holder Zia, the exterior surface Zlb of which may be knurled andprovided, with grooves to serve as a frictional, nonslip finger grippingmeans. Said holder 2| a may have an axial tapered bore 2| 0 into whichis fitted to conform and firmly seat tapered end 22a of a tool 22 havinga business end portion 22b for said instrument 2!).

Said tool end portion 221) may be made of a suitable material such astempered steel, polished or plated, having a knife blade 23 terininating an intermediate shank portion 220 which extends from said tapered end22a, said blade 23 serving as a slicing, cutting and piercing means forreadily removing a predetermined thickness of sliced tissue S from softwalls of pockets P and removal of the epithelial attachment of theapical area E of pocket P in the manner hereinafter 'describedi'.

Knife blade 23 may be-of the double edge type? made with elongatedsubstantial fiat or relatively slightly convex front and convex rearsides, 23a; and 23b, respectively, that is,.having. peripheral. cuttingedges 23c formed with a con'cavedor arcuate shaped leading or tip. end23d. Said blade; 23 may be formed to have a.slightitap.er'sfrom shankportion 220 longitudinall inthe direction of the tip end edge 23d. Thelatter may be made. by grinding a shallow concaved section 2316 on frontside 23a so that the cutting edge at the leading end 23d may be madeextremely sharp, asshowniin'F-igs. iand 5.

Shank. portion 220* from which blade 23.- ex-- tends, may be soconstructed and arranged to: givea-degree of rigidity for transferringthe fingerpressure; exerted on handle surface 21b,- to the blade .23.Said finger--pressuretransmitted torthe blade23 thus permits theblade2-3 to .be depressed into the tissue forming softwall Sof pocket. P' forinitiating the cutting and slicing thereoflso that, manipulation of.instrument 2!] can take place through feeling and requires. a

minimum-digital skill.

231i integrallyformed therewith. Saidguards 23f each may'beelongated andhave an end 23g interconnectedthrough an offset 2th, to extend from.said blade inner portion 23c. and having blunt. free end 23yvterminating short of blade leading end 23d.

Saidguardmeansfij, as seen. from Figs. Land 5., lie. in. a planesubstantially parallel to and spacedfrom longitudinal aXis of blade23,facing saidlfront side 23a,,said guards 23f, being a thinflattenedstructure formed with smoothly rounded edges.- and positionedto extend. abovev the spaced. knife cutting edges 230 a distancecorresponding tdthe-desired thickness of thesliceof tissue, wall S1201be removed- The width of each guard 23] when. formed in a pair may besufficiently ex. tendedlaterally outward andinward With respect to thelength of knife edges 230 to shield the latter, and are thusshaped andpositioned. with respect to. the blade. cutting edges 23c that only. a.definite thickness? of degenerated epithelial tissue forming lining of.the pathological periodontal pooketficambe removed duringinstrumentation and precluding the. possibility of complete inci--sion.of thesoft. wallof pocket P through its en-- tire thickness and.otherwise eliminating laceration and shredding of soft tissue, as isclear. from Eigszland 2..

.Blade; leading" end. ZSe shaped with concave section. 23k onthefrontside. 23anconforms with. the curvature of. theroot surface Roi tooth T,,

' and hasa keen sharp edge for piercing. or severing.

andremoving the epithelial attachment. at the apicalarea E therebyleaving a fresh corium that yields. a clean blood clot, the.organization of. which ismandatory for repair of pocketP undertreatment. r

'. Instrument. 20. may. be made with; offset; hank.

;. blade leading end, said guard memberseachrbeportion 220 shaped toaccommodate and facilitate reachin pockets P that may be present aboutdifferently shaped teeth crowns and roots that are being givenperiodontal treatments. Two instru ments 2!] with different offset shankportions 22 will generally be found sufiicient for use on'usualtreatments of this kind.

I Inxpracticing the invention, with a suitably off= set-instrumentillllconstructed as described above, let it be assumed that tooth T, shown inFigs. 1 and 2, is to be given periodontal treatment, said tooth Thaving. a slight ingival recession forming'pocket P; If acalculus massis present and adheres tothe. toothroot R such mass is firstremoved-'byplaningto leave the tooth root surface R. clean and. smooth,using instruments in the" manner described. in my copending applicationSer: No. 41,031, now Patent No. 2,552,134 granted May. 85.1951, filedherewith. V

Instrument 20 is then' inserted into pocket P until-the leadingend.23d.bears against and. cuts the-epithelial; area E. in the apical of pocketB... By pressing the convex side 23b of. the. blade 2? against thedegenerated. epithelial. tissue. found; lining the. pathological.periodontal pocketP and manipulatin the instrument 20 laterally,.aselflimiting slice-Scan. be'cut away by blade, edges 23c-and removed.without otherwise lacerating or shredding.- the remaining soft tissue,and. preclude. allpossibility of complete incision of the soft wall of.the pocket through its entire thickness. Thelcutting and removing of'theepithelial attachment in the. apical area and the degenerated.epithelial tissue leaves. a. fresh corium. and yieldsaclean blood clotwhich. adheres to the scaled. and planederoot surface R, therebyproviding. anenvironment most conducive to functional repair of .thetreated pocket P.

Ithas been found"v in practice that-for general useblade 23; may befrom. 9 to 10 mm. in length and the self-limiting of the thickness ofepithelial. tissue removed should. be that which passes between. the.guardmeans 23'), the blade 23 when. spaced. from 0.5 to 0.7 mm.,therefrom, and the guard means.2'3f extending from 1.0 to 1.5 mm. shortofthe. extreme end 23d of'the blade23.

Theguardmeans 23], whenprovided as a spaced pair. ofmembersdescribedabove instead of being asingle structure permits, readycleaning and gives. an. unobstructed view of theoperatingfield.

It.is. thusv seen, therefore, that there isprovided. an. improveddental. instrument in which. the; objects. of the invention areachieved. and' whicharewell adapted to meet. all conditions of 1technical and practical use.

Asvarious possible embodiments may be made inthe. above. invention foruse for different punposes and as various changes mightbe. madein. theembodiment. setforth, it is. understood that all. theabove matters here.set forth are shown in.

theaccompanying drawing are to be interrupted;

as.illustrative. andnot in a limiting sense;

Havingthusdescribed my invention,.I claim as jacentthe handle, said.guard members being. offset in parallel alignment withrespect to-ope!positely positioned cutting edge portions of said blade. and terminatingin free; ends short ofsaid.

ing uniformly spaced from the adjacent portion of the cutting edge toprovide self-limiting means for predetermining thickness of slices oftissue to be cut on effective manipulation of the instrument, said bladehaving a convex surface on a side thereof opposite said guard members.

2. A dental instrument having a handle, an elongated relatively flatblade extending from said handle formed with a cutting edge along theentire periphery thereof including a leading end, and spaced apart guardmembers integrally formed with a portion of said blade adjacent thehandle, said guard members being offset in parallel alignment withrespect to oppositely positioned cutting edge portions of said blade andterminating in free ends short of said blade leading end, said guardmembers each being uniformly spaced from the adjacent portion of thecutting edge to provide self-limiting means for predetermining thicknessof slices of tissue to be cut on effective manipulation of theinstrument, said blade having a convex surface on a side thereofopposite said guard members and a concaved section at the leading endbeyond said guard members.

3. A dental scalpel blade having spaced cutting edges joined forcontinuation along the periphery of the blade by an intermediate leadingend cutting edge, and guard means projecting from the blade at theportion thereof terminating said cutting edges, said guard meansextending in spaced relation from said cutting edges and havin a freeend reaching short of said leading end cutting edges for controlling thethickness of tissues to be sliced on effective manipulation of theblade, said blade having a convex side opposite that facing said guardmeans.

4. A dental scalpel blade having spaced cutting edges joined forcontinuation along the periphery of the blade by an intermediate leadingend cutting edge, and guard means projecting from the blade at theportion thereof terminating said cutting edges, said guard meansextending in spaced relation from said cutting edges and having a freeend reaching short of said leading end cutting edges for controlling thethickness of tissues to be sliced on effective manipulation of theblade, said blade leading end having a concaved region beyond the uardmeans and a convex side opposite that facing said guard means, saidblade being tapered in thickness in a direction toward said leading endcutting edge.

5. A dental scalpel blade having spaced cut ting edges joined forcontinuation along the periphery of the blade by an intermediate leadingend cutting edge, and guard means projecting from the blade at theportion thereof terminating said cutting edges, said guard meansextending in spaced relation from said cutting edges and having a freeend reaching short of said leading end cutting edges for controlling thethickness of tissues to be sliced on effective manipulation of theblade, said blade havin a convex side opposite that facing said guardmeans, and being tapered in thickness in a direction toward said leadingend cutting edge,

the latter having an arcuate shaped contour.

6. A dental scalpel blade having spaced cutting edges joined forcontinuation along the periphery of the blade by an intermediate leadingend cutting edge, and guard means projecting from the blade at theportion thereof terminating said cutting edges, said guard meansextending in spaced relation from said cutting edges and having a freeend reaching short of said leading end cutting edges for controlling thethickness of tissues to be sliced on effective manipulation of theblade, said blade havin a convex side opposite that facing said guardmeans, said guard means being integrally formed with the blade andoifset as parallelly spaced apart portions with each of said portionsextending laterally beyond said spaced cutting edges to shield thelatter, the leading end cutting edge being made with an arcuate shapedcontour.

ABRAHAM BERLINER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,354,139 Shaw Sept. 28, 19201,899,489 Wickbergh Feb. 28, 1933 2,211,952 Kelly Aug. 20, 1940 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 266,613 Great Britain Aug. 26, 1926 OTHERREFERENCES Hu-Friedy: Immunity Steel; Catalog (recd Nov. 13, 1929), page78, item on right side of page, and page 40, item 3.

